1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to card cutting devices and more particularly pertains to a new card cutting apparatus for cutting business cards out of paper stock.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of card cutting devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, card cutting devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,555,785; 4,979,612; 4,941,381; 5,797,830; U.S. Des. Pat. No. 319,172; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,932.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new card cutting apparatus. The inventive device includes a housing. The housing comprises a base portion and an upper portion. The base portion has an upper side and a lower side. The upper portion is hingedly coupled to the base portion such that the upper portion may be selectively positioned between an abutted position and a removed position with respect to the base portion. The upper portion has a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface, a back surface and a pair of side surfaces. The bottom surface has a cavity therein. A rod is rotatably mounted in the upper portion, and extends through the side surfaces and through the cavity such that the rod has a pair of ends each extending away from one of the side surfaces. The rod extends through and securely attached to a cam. A handle member is coupled to each of the ends of the rod. Each of a plurality of cartridges comprises a substantially rigid panel having a top side, a bottom side, a pair of side edges, a front edge and a back edge. The bottom side of the cartridge has a plurality of depressions therein. Each of the depressions has a peripheral edge has a blade member securely attached thereto and extending away therefrom. The cartridge is removably securable in the cavity such that cam may force the cartridge downward through paper stock positioned on the base portion.
In these respects, the card cutting apparatus according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of cutting business cards out of paper stock.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of card cutting devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new card cutting apparatus construction wherein the same can be utilized for cutting business cards out of paper stock.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new card cutting apparatus apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the card cutting devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new card cutting apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art card cutting devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing. The housing comprises a base portion and an upper portion. The base portion has an upper side and a lower side. The upper portion is hingedly coupled to the base portion such that the upper portion may be selectively positioned between an abutted position and a removed position with respect to the base portion. The upper portion has a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface, a back surface and a pair of side surfaces. The bottom surface has a cavity therein. A rod is rotatably mounted in the upper portion, and extends through the side surfaces and through the cavity such that the rod has a pair of ends each extending away from one of the side surfaces. The rod extends through and securely attached to a cam. A handle member is coupled to each of the ends of the rod. Each of a plurality of cartridges comprises a substantially rigid panel having a top side, a bottom side, a pair of side edges, a front edge and a back edge. The bottom side of the cartridge has a plurality of depressions therein. Each of the depressions has a peripheral edge has a blade member securely attached thereto and extending away therefrom. The cartridge is removably securable in the cavity such that cam may force the cartridge downward through paper stock positioned on the base portion.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new card cutting apparatus apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the card cutting devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new card cutting apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art card cutting devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new card cutting apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new card cutting apparatus which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new card cutting apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such card cutting apparatus economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new card cutting apparatus which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new card cutting apparatus for cutting business cards out of paper stock.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new card cutting apparatus which includes a housing. The housing comprises a base portion and an upper portion. The base portion has an upper side and a lower side. The upper portion is hingedly coupled to the base portion such that the upper portion may be selectively positioned between an abutted position and a removed position with respect to the base portion. The upper portion has a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface, a back surface and a pair of side surfaces. The bottom surface has a cavity therein. A rod is rotatably mounted in the upper portion, and extends through the side surfaces and through the cavity such that the rod has a pair of ends each extending away from one of the side surfaces. The rod extends through and securely attached to a cam. A handle member is coupled to each of the ends of the rod. Each of a plurality of cartridges comprises a substantially rigid panel having a top side, a bottom side, a pair of side edges, a front edge and a back edge. The bottom side of the cartridge has a plurality of depressions therein. Each of the depressions has a peripheral edge has a blade member securely attached thereto and extending away therefrom. The cartridge is removably securable in the cavity such that cam may force the cartridge downward through paper stock positioned on the base portion.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new card cutting apparatus that allows a user to print business indicia on conventional paper stock and cut business cards from that stock in variety of shapes.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.